The Osceola times., 1887-10-15

ever form it is, and you shall know
me- Remember, Richard, you shall
know me- --.
'He spoke with such earnestness.
and under such circumstances tha,
was deeply affected, and for the
hrst time | began to believe there
might be something in the theory. He
died within half an hour of my leaving
the house, and he had been dead two
hours when returned to my Off e.
was living then in Chicago, near the
corner OF State and Sixteenth streets.
There were only wife and self, and
Office and living rooms were up stairs.
1t was dreary, rainy night and after
my wife had gone to bed | sat gazing
into the fire in the CRATE wondering
over the case. IT must have been neal
midnight when l rose up to retire tc
the bedroom. and as got on nv fee,
heard a tapping at the window.
You'll think ot Poe's S"Raven,' sir,
and so did /, but, nevertheless, there
was a tapping tapping, at the
window. 1t was at a window
facing State street, and when
lifted the curtain and looked out |
discerned black object on the win
dow sill. cautiously raised the sash,
and lola partridge 1utterel into the
room. The bird was damp and wet.
and it nuttered over to the fire and
dried It's feathers while it steadfastly
regarded me. own up to you, sir
that was startled, and that had no
doubt that the spirit of my friend had
come back to me.
at may have been three minutes
from the time the bird entered the
room before it spread its wings and
alighted on my shoulder Then it put
its bill against my face and caressed
me in dozen ways. and when asked
If it was the spirit of my dead friend
it uttered notes of delight / stroked
its feathers and talked soothingly, but
after ten minutes it flew to the window
and plainly intimated its desire to de-
part. / opened the sash, and with a
last caress it flew away into the storm
and darkness.
'And is that your great secret?" ]
asked, rs the man ceased speaking and
leaned back.
"Tha, is it, and what do you think Of
itP' he asked in turn.
"All nonsense. Better let whisky
alone"
my friend" he said, after short
pause, al saw what ! have told You,
and ! believe in the theory thus illus
trated. No argument that man could
advance would change my opinion"
Hope you'll feel better tomorrow"
| said as rose to go.
"Hold on; you shall not 90 yet" he
exclaimed. as he forced me TO sit down.
"Listen well to what | say. / am dy-
ing. know it. The end is nearer
than you think; within twenty-four
hours shall be corpse. Dare you
defy me to illustrate my theory?"
"H-how?" ! gasped, little startled
BY his earncstness.
"By returning to earth in some other
form and making myself known to
you"
"If it is possible you may d. so," ]
answered after a bit.
"And will" he said. ip deter
mined voice. as he turned his back and
walked away,
The next afternoon, between 2 and
o clock, the dead body of my singular
friend was found in an unoccupied
store, where he had crawled like a rat
to die. did not know this, mind you.
but was at my own home, two miles
away, asleep on the lounge in the sit
ting-room. with my wife engaged up
stairs. when was suddenly aroused by
something touching my hand. sprang
up, wide awake in an instant, and
there at my feet was Il beautiful white
and gray rabbit As ] sank lrick il
sprang up into my lap, and cuddied its
face TO mine with every demonstration
of delight There was no pet of the
kind anywhere in the neighbo rhood.
and when ] came to examine IL closer
knew that it was wild specimen. u
had the coarse fur OF the common
rabbit of the fields. but was clean and
tidy. was amazed, knowing that all
doors aud windows were closed. While
/ was trying to think how the animal
could have got in on me, it sat up on
end. stroked my checks with its paws
and made purring sound like cat,
Without knowing that | was to speak,
] asked:
Give me a sign that you are the
spirit of my friend of last night"
The rabbit again cuddled to my face,
stroked my cheeks, and actel as If tho
words were understood. Then il
sprang down, ran to the door. and. as
| | opened it, the little creature scam
pered out into the Kitchen. and thence.
by wi dow, to the alley. | never
saw it again. Is there such thing as
transmigrationp Was the soul or spirit
or substance of the dead doctor en-
bodied in the hare, and did it come to
me to keep his promiseP-M J. Sun
n:..;o,.ad No,pu Mar